BTG: April 2025 Discussion Thread

What the show is showing is that privilege comes from money and influence no matter what your gender, age, or race.

Dani has skirted through life without ever suffering any consequences and it's why she's the entitled individual that she is today.  It's also why she's taking the divorce so hard because this is the first time she's ever not gotten what she's wanted and she doesn't know how to deal with that.   If she were played by a talented actress that could play the layers of hurt, pain, and regret.. then I could root for her.

Contrast that with Silk Press Sheila/Dana/Lulu/Anna/Sherri.. who is also written as one note.. but the actress plays her with different shades and layers that you root for her. 

Hayley's fashion fascinates me.  I almost wish she and Silk Press Sheila knew one another so that she could be taught how to shop.  Although the writers need to really think about how they're writing Hayley's character.. mix her up with some of the other characters.

In fact, one idea I had in regards to Hayley and her place at the country club is that she figure out Vanessa/Diego's work out routine and uses that to get Vanessa to associate with her.  

Although the fact that the country club/staff will still associate with Bill and not Hayley shows a double standard.  Why only punish the other woman when it was Bill that violated his marriage vows and dumped Dani for Hayley?  Why not give both individuals the cold shoulder instead of just one of them.

 

 

Edited April 10Apr 10 by Soaplovers

2 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

the fact that the country club/staff will still associate with Bill and not Hayley shows a double standard.  Why only punish the other woman when it was Bill that violated his marriage vows and dumped Dani for Hayley?  Why not give both individuals the cold shoulder instead of just one of them.

Good point!

I can both root for and critique Dani, but that's also partly because I think KM is doing wonderful work. Some days I love her, some days I roll my eyes, some days I do both in the same hour. That's just the nature of that kind of soap archetype IMO.

I'm down with Veronica Harrington joining this cast like a Youtuber suggested. So many vile characters on this show and she'd fit right in.

21 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

 

Dani has skirted through life without ever suffering any consequences and it's why she's the entitled individual that she is today.  It's also why she's taking the divorce so hard because this is the first time she's ever not gotten what she's wanted and she doesn't know how to deal with that.   If she were played by a talented actress that could play the layers of hurt, pain, and regret.. then I could root for her.

Although the fact that the country club/staff will still associate with Bill and not Hayley shows a double standard.  Why only punish the other woman when it was Bill that violated his marriage vows and dumped Dani for Hayley?  Why not give both individuals the cold shoulder instead of just one of them.

 

 

There's no indication that Dani has really done anything other than making a poor choice in marrying Bill and sidelining her own career. Entitlement doesn't really apply because her issue is that she was embarrassed and hurt more so than not getting what she wanted. If she was a supervillain I could see your point but I don't see the character as entitled. If anything she is facing consequences in that she stayed married to a cheater and he eventually left her.

Edited April 10Apr 10 by ReddFoxx

4 hours ago, BetterForgotten said:

Weirdly, though, Trisha Mann-Grant‘s acting makes us want to root for Dana. An actress that’s able to play against the material and elevate it. 

sorry — she is doing a great time with the material. but, i will always have a hard time rooting for a character who attempts to MURDER people to get her way. especially since the show had been on the air for a few day, and we had barely met her, when she ran laura — who could easily have been killed —  off the road.

maybe if i had gotten to know her just a little bit first…

Just now, wonderwoman1951 said:

sorry — she is doing a great time with the material. but, i will always have a hard time rooting for a character who attempts to MURDER people to get her way. especially since the show had been on the air for a few day, and we had barely met her, when she ran laura — who could easily have been killed —  off the road.

maybe if i had gotten to know her just a little bit first…

Same; I'm not rooting for Dana.

I'm engaged by Dana because she's fun to watch. I am not going to excuse her killing people, but if she does it's still good drama for a soap villain unless she ends up doing 30 years of the same thing like Sheila. 30 days? Not a big deal.

Same goes for Dani. She's fun to watch and Karla is playing it to the hilt, so I can be both entertained, rooting for her or exasperated by her in equal measure depending on the day, the hour or the moment. Sarah Brown's Carly on GH, albeit a much deeper and more nuanced character over a longer stretch of time, was the same viewing dynamic for me. Erica Kane, not dissimilar.

Edited April 10Apr 10 by Vee

Villians are a soap staple but let's hope BTG doesn't fall into the trap of holding on to Dana passed the use by date and have her get away with stuff and still interacting with her victims like Sheila, Phyllis etc have done.

At some point she needs to be found out and punished eg jail. Or at least skip town with the possibility of a return to cause more havoc.

Meanwhile the show develops other villians so that the loss is less noticeable.

 

Dana’s actions are not rootable, but the actress adds so much to the material that Dana doesn’t come off as just an another one-note villain. She’s fun, but Trisha makes what could be played as cartoon villainy seem real and personable. I think it’s a case where it’s the actress and not necessarily the material. 

I've had my issues with Beyond the Gates but more of Anita Dupree being THAT ICE QUEEN! Yes, please. More of this. Seeing her and, to some extent, Vernon be merciless in protecting one of their own was incredible; it was a shot of adrenaline to make me excited about the show again. This is the bite that's been missing. Dani is a mess, but she is Anita's mess, and they should've fired her the day after the wedding if her crash out was that big of a deal. 

This scene made me giddy in the best possible way. Tamara Tunie for the win!

I just hope that Bill doesn't blackmail the Duprees in a few days and we're back to square one. 

Yes, Dani is privileged, but I love that she knows it. She doesn't need to cling to a man. Just her last name and parents! I like that she didn't lose it again. 

Also, Bill and Hayley should just move. Yes, we wouldn't have a show if they did, but you're in Dupree country. 

I agree with the poster who suggested that Nurse perfect should've been assigned to Laura. But at least Shanice is on the case! 

 

Dana is easily sustainable if she only goes so far and/or marries into power. It's a common soap staple that keeps villains insulated for years.

Just now, Vee said:

Dana is easily sustainable if she only goes so far and/or marries into power. It's a common soap staple that keeps villains insulated for years.

I know but.  I need villains to pay consequences.  Especially with all the unpunished villainy in real world politics/government nowadays, I need my soaps to have the escape/entertainment of the villain getting punished.  I watch SVU because the villains are caught and punished.

I don't want to watch soaps that have villains be part of the regular canvas. I just don't.  Doesn't matter how great the actor is.

I can admire the actor but hate the villain.   Both things can be true.

4 minutes ago, janea4old said:

I know but.  I need villains to pay consequences.  Especially with all the unpunished villainy in real world politics/government nowadays, I need my soaps to have the escape/entertainment of the villain getting punished.  I watch SVU because the villains are caught and punished.

I don't want to watch soaps that have villains be part of the regular canvas. I just don't.  Doesn't matter how great the actor is.

I can admire the actor but hate the villain.   Both things can be true.

I assume then that you are not a current fan of GH, for just one example. Port Charles has more than its share of people who have not & do not pay consequences.

 

Edited April 10Apr 10 by Contessa Donatella

6 minutes ago, janea4old said:

I don't want to watch soaps that have villains be part of the regular canvas. I just don't.  Doesn't matter how great the actor is.

You're gonna run out of soaps pretty quick.